Fastening device



0% 6 w. A. BEDFORD, JR 2,955,690 FASTENING DEVICE Filed Jan. 16, 1958 lNVENTQR'. WILLIAM A. BEDF'ORDJR-J avzfv? AT TOR NEY.

ever, primarily because th'eytarerrather'complex,rnost of United StfiitfiS Patent 2,955,690

Patented!Oct 11,. 196Q v i following detailed description o fnexemplary embodiments of the invention whentaken in conjunction'with'theaca I 2,955,690 r. companying drawings which illustrate said embodiments f ey! V and wherein: j g Figure l isa plan view* illustrating the-manner in"whieh the inventionpermits-the attachment of a molding strip FASTENING DEVICE 2 WillianiiAl. Redford, Jr.,North Scituate, Mass. assignor i V t toapanel; V pp t fi g gig ggg giffg 3: 5: 2? i Cambndge Figure 2 is a sectiona-yiew taken along li'n'e Z-A-Lof Figure lin thedirection of the arrows; i

. Fi s 5 r N Figure 3 is a sectional viewtake'n along line3--3' of-- 'r' I I Figure 1;

3 Chums. 0152189488? I V v Figure 4 .is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3 in the direction of-the-arrows; I

a I Figure 5 is a sectionalyiewtaken-along line5'5:'of

This invention relates to a:molding :fastener-and;more" Figure 2-in the direction of the arrows; j particularly to a device for fastening molding strips; or. Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to'that of Figure 2. the like-to a panel orothersupporting-body; I and illustrates'a modification of the invention; and I I In the various manufacturing trades moldings are em I Figure 1 is "a sectional view taken along line 7--7 of ployed for many purposes. For example, moldingistrips Figure 6 in thedirectionof the arrows. I I I I may beutilized to'cover or disguise discontinuitiesbe; Briefly stated, theinvention -is--based upon ajunique tween structuralmembers; such as the joints between s screw construction' in which the head of --the screw is abutting' panels. They are also placedcalong andqoverw formed to engage andretain apair of spaced opposed? the extremities-of panels or other structural members; to flanges of aamo lding strip or the like. By employing at eliminatei sharp edgeswhich may-be undesirable .for' 2- least two "=of-the-screws of= the inventiomi the strip? is 3 functional or aesthetic reasons. .In the automobile ;inprevented -from3turning, -:and by virtue of the-provision dustry moldings,1tor-*the so-called chromestripsf-i are ap-mz' of m a h y Screw hwds P fla'hgeslof plied toi'the surface offsheet metal body members Ito en vflit? molding p; turning: ofjthe Screws is 'PfeVehtedl hance their appearance and to serveas bumpers or;guards. The construction of the screw heads is "such that a water- To attach the "molding stripsvto such'panels suitable wtight joint With the Supporting p i liis n ii fastenersmust' be employed; Tofelim'inat'e .undesirable i R f rring to the drawings; Figure l'illustrates a panel exposed s protrusions of 'thenfastening' elements-:various 0r 0th6T1h0dY-m6mhef having Surface tOFWhiCh' schemes have been Proposed which Permit the'inolding '8 moldihghst'fip 1445 1047a attached- @ZIlTthe p f strips to be attached to the panels in such a manner asto? I orm I e i e tion the-moldingcstripis formed of a hide the fastening elementsz: The fastener devices pron P gY- materialysuchas Stainless Cross? Posed heretofore have notbeen entirely satisfacto 'y; how-g 35.-sectionliconfigufafiollr*aS'IShOWH inIFiguTeS2-hl1d6, that 5 bows away; fromthesurface 12 of the panel. -,The moldthem requiring the. assembly of several .difierent'parts; i g Pi pair OPSpaCedoppos'edflangesslfirand In large scale manufacturing operations 'whereinacost is 1: which extehdgehefally 510hg=thesuffac512but Which1 an important'factor, a small difierenceiini the'cost of the P P Y fl gulatedfll g y awayffomlthe Surface, individual fastener devices' can: make asubstantiaL difq v IaS ShOWH' g res 2 an 5. that'ith moldh'l ferencezin the profit margin based: onzla'rgei quantity .use P ng g fthe surface :12 along regions/20 or saleiof the devices. 'Accordiirgly;fanyzrdevicethat isi w h are farther apart than the pp edges 24 simplerin construction and cheaper to manufacturezand 326 Of th g e t 7 use will have a ready market. The present invention pro- TQPBTIhi'E thefmoldihg p-E Ithihyaflachedhfothe vides hgz I j j I I *4 panel 10, ;the present invention-employsiunique fastener It is accordingly'a' principalobject of the invention'toz"; ':-ScreWS, 'H 'fOImIIIOfI'WhiCh isIIIgenerallvidesignatedcbyi ideca miq d im d fastener; 11:; reference numeral 28-in Figures l through '3, iandr-a A th rbje t f the inventionfisitoi'provid'gan' fi'na. ;other form of which-isgenerally desig'natedby reference proved l i f t y I I I numeral- 30iiin. Figure 6.""The screws are preferably A furtheyobject f h ifl ig i tojprovide a; f g. ,0 formedof a suitable metal, such assteel -c and whe'n' em tener element of unique single piece"co'nstruction:' .2 .P y foffattachihg molding StPiP$"t0'Sh6et metal P An additional object of th'irivention i '..tbiprovi'detan :the screws :areipreferably self tappi'ngaandcaseiha'rdene i d: r construction; In bothfof the forms illustrated theis'crew hasa pointed Still another object of the invention -is'..-to*provide a threaded" shank 32: At the 'end'of th 1 1 molding fastenenwhichco-acts with/the moldinginasuch the pointed end the' scre'w has ahead, designated 34 a way that loosening .of the fastener fromv its supporting F g r sl and-3 and 36in Figure The top 'of the he ad panel is prevented. I may be i' oun'ded as shown at 'SS-"and 37, respectively; and- Yet another .object of the inventionis'to" provide the head is preferably provided witha suitablemeans 38 fastenerlwhich has a water-tight-fitiyvithca.supportin .J' for engaging' a screwdriving tooL- While in th'e form panel. v V v i 6 shown a Phillips type slot is provided, any othertype- A still further object of .the inventionisi'to"provideia means, such 'as 'a' straight slot or a hexagonal slotjinight" molding strip fastener device employing atfleast a pair ..L Tbe employed; I I of unique fastener screws in'whichengage and hold the In both fo'rms of thesc-rewshown the side's of'the ha molding strip, preventing detachment or turning move- H p are undercu S In theforrfi shown igur'es' 2 throng ment ofthe'st'ripg the screws themselves-being'preventedthe und'ei'rcu-ttin g is accomplished -by gradiiallytapehng from turning by their engagement with the molding strip. the sides 40 so that the sides converge toward the pointed A more specific object of the invention is to provide end of the screwshank and toward the panel surface 12 a unique fastener device which permits a simple snapwhen the screw is attached to the panel. In this form on attachment of the molding strip. of the invention the tapered side Walls 40 merge smooth- The foregoing and other objects of the invention and ly with the curved upper head portion 35. In the form the manner in which such objects are accomplished will shown in Figure 6, the sides 42 converge toward the become more readily apparent upon consideration of the pointed end of the screw shank in a similar manner, but

2 through 5 the serrations are indicated at 46 and in Figures 6 and 7 at 48. The serrations form spaced ridges which extend in the general direction of the shank 32 and which converge toward the pointed end of the shank as part of the sides of the head. The serrations may be formed by conventional techniques during the manufacture of the screws.

In ccordance with another aspect of the invention, the screw heads are preferably provided with a re-entrant bottom generally designated by reference numeral 50 in Figure 3.' By this construction the bottom of the screw head is formed with a circumscribing bead 52 which extends toward the pointed end of; the shank 32. When the screw is threaded into the sheet metal panel 12 as shown in Figure 3, the bead 52 engages the surface 10 of the panel and forms a water-tight joint between the screw head and the panel. Such a joint prevents the leakage of water around the shank of the screw and eliminates corrosion of the panel 10 which would deface the panel and might tend to loosen the screw. The bead 52 tends to seat the head of the screw flatly against the surface 12 even if the screw is initially threaded in at a slight angle. Moreover, any burrs which exist around the screw hole on the surface 12 are accommodated by the space between the bead 52 and the shank 32 and thus do not interfere with the proper seating of the screw heads.

In using the screws of the invention to attach a molding stripsuch as 14 to a panel such as 10, holes 54 are drilled or preformed in the panel at spaced locations. The screws of the invention are then threaded into the holes until their heads snugly engage the surface 12 as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 6. Two screws are sufficient to attach a single strip and prevent it from turning relative to the panel 10, but if the strip is lengthy, as is common, a larger number of screws will be employed. The screw holes 54 are formed along the intended path of the molding strip and will define a straight line ifthe strip is straight or a curved line if the strip is curved.

screw heads.

theedges 24 and 26 of the flanges.

The molding strip is then simply snapped over the I retained on the screws, the opposed -edges 24 and 26'of' ment for protracted periods, it is essential that the screws remain tightly aflixed to the panel. In accordance with the invention, turning of the screws relative to the panel, which might tend to loosen them, is prevented, once the molding strip has been snapped over the screws, through the gripping of the strip flanges by the serrations of the The serrations tend to bite into and grip By angulating the flanges 20 and 22 with respect to the panel 10 in the manner illustrated in Figures 2 and 6 and described previously, the angles of the edges 24 and 26 may be brought into conformity with the convergence of the side walls of the screw heads so as to increase the surface of engagement with the serrations, thereby increasing the gripping action. Since the molding strip is prevented from turning relative to the panel by the use of a pair of screws, and since the screws are prevented from turning relative to the molding strip by use of the gripping means described, it is readily apparent that neither the screws nor the molding strip can turn relative to the panel, and a firm and snug attachment of the molding strip to the panel is obtained even over long periods of time and under conditions of vibration or shock.

It will be apparent from the foregoing, therefore, that the invention provides a molding fastener which, while simple, is highly effective. While there have been described and shown what are now believed to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes can be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, the foregoing embodiments are to be considered illustrative, rather than restrictive of the invention, and those modifications which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are included therein.

I claim:

1. In combination with a panel and a molding strip of springy material having a pair of spaced opposed flanges, at least two screw threaded into said panel at points longitudinally spaced thereon, said screws having heads contiguous to a surface of said panel, the side walls of said heads being undercut and receiving and engaging said flanges at diametrically opposed points, at least one side wall of at least one of said screws being serrated whereby said screws retain said strip on said panel, and said strip prevents rotation of said screws relative to said the flanges are spaced apart less than the maximum di I ameter of the screw heads so that it is'necessary to urge and in the form shown in Figures 6 and 7, the lip 44 makes the attachment of the strip to the screws even more positive.

When the molding strip has been snapped over a pair of screws, it is obviously impossible to turn the strip with respect to the panel 10, since the strip is fixed at two points. In order that the strip will not become loosened or even detached from the panel after attachpanel.

2; The combination of claim 1, said sides converging toward said panel, and said flanges being angulated slightly with respect to said panel so as to extend toward the head end of said screws and having opposed edges angulated to conform to the convergence of said sides.

3. The combination of claim 1, said strip having a cross-section bowed away from said panel, said flanges extending inwardly of said cross-section, and said strip contacting said surface on opposite sides of said screws at points spaced from said screw heads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,849,206 Sater Mar. 15, 1932 1,950,041 Torchia et al. Mar. 6, 1934 2,208,541 Churchill July 16, 1940 2,543,705 Place Feb. 27, 1951 2,752,814 Iaia July 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 325,076 Italy Feb. 27, 1935 

